New equipment

vroom_skies · **Joined:** Thu Mar 27, 2008 4:48 pm **Posts:** 358

Got some new parts a few days ago:

- Sigma 70-200 EX 2.8 Macro
- Pentax D-BG2 grip (Plus two more batteries and a ND .6 filter)

So far... it's heavy lol
Bob

MrZ · **Posted:** Thu Oct 23, 2008 7:51 pm

Bob;
Nice stuff! This is the first time I've seen a Pentax grip, and I have to say it looks slick. How does it feel?

And talk about looking slick, that Sigma lens looks awesome. A very different finish on it that anything I've ever seen before. I've got the Canon 70-200L f/2.8, and it is probably the same size/length as yours, but it has the classic Canon white finish, which I can't say I'm really crazy about. It's an awesome lens, but definitely is not macro....MFD is about 3 feet.

I'm curious about the Tripod ring on the lens. I can only see one side of it from your picks. Does it have a thumb nut lock or something so that you can loosen the ring and rotate the lens/camera from landscape to portrait orientation? Is it easy to take it off/on?

Anyway, I'm sure you'll have fun with your new toys! Let's see some pics with the new lens!

Mark

vroom_skies · **Joined:** Thu Mar 27, 2008 4:48 pm **Posts:** 358

Thanks! I'm loving it so far, it's going to take awhile to master the lens though.

All the Pentax gear I've held has felt great, very solid build and great ergonomics. The grip has alot of thought put into it and over all I'm pleased.
However it's missing some rubber padding on the back for where your thumb goes, it has the dedicated groove and everything, but just missing the padding.
Frankly I was quite surprised, since everything Pentax has been better then my expectations lol.

I must say I'm fond of the way this lens looks as well. From pics it looks like it would be a rough texture, but it is smooth, real smooth at that lol.
The build and everything is very very nice.

The tripod has a thumb lock on the left side of the lens, you can see it in the last picture. It's real easy to take off/ rotate. Very smooth as well, which I love.

I haven't gotten around to taking to many shots yet, but here are a few.

Thanks
Bob

Usuqa · **Joined:** Mon Feb 25, 2008 1:51 pm **Posts:** 209

Look's very nice

I was thinking about a grip for my gx10 but thay are very hard to find

the k10d grip dosnt fit as the body is a slightly diff shape.

The sigma len's looks nice tho, but im wondering why you picked it over the tammy 70-200 f2.8 (wich is ment to be pin sharp wide open)? Is it the macro mode? or the hsm motors? And what about the pentax 50-135 wich looks to be fantastic lens with prime like sharpness and bokeh and weather sealed to

vroom_skies · **Joined:** Thu Mar 27, 2008 4:48 pm **Posts:** 358

Hey there Usuqa,
Doesn't the K10d grip fit on the GX10, but it just extends a little over?
It's a bummer though that the GX10 grip is so hard to come by.

In regards to the lens choice, it was a tough one with each lens having it's own pros and cons.
What it really came down to was what lens offered me the most at this point in time since it's a rare time when I can buy a new lens lol.
It was obvious that the DA* was going to have the best image quality and most likely build quality as well. Yet it didn't offer the extended reach to 200 nor macro capability and frankly I'm not a fan of using cropping as a zooming method.
So then it was down to the Sigma & Tamrom. I must say I'm not fond of the way the Tamron looks, so Sigma gets the points in that case, and as you know Tamron didn't have sdm/ hsm, which was a fairly large factor in my decision, since I sometimes shoot when my brother is playing in the orchestra.

Tamron was actually my third choice out of the bunch, so it was rather unlikely that I would end up with it. So in the end the Sigma offered me the most capability at this point in time and when I have the money to blow on more lenses I'll prob get the DA* to cover it's range and then work around it.

However I must say, I must have gotten a good copy of the Sigma as I don't think the Tamron could hold a candle to to this lens. Build/ mechanics are great and the image quality has meet if not exceeded my standards. I just got back form a week at Marthas Vineyard and 80% of the time was using this lens. You can view the photos in the picture thread.

Hope that helps
Bob

Usuqa · **Joined:** Mon Feb 25, 2008 1:51 pm **Posts:** 209

Yer the sigma dose have its plus points to..
Its a true ring type focus?? (the d*a 50-135 isnt a ring type) so it should be pretty nippy.. im glad to here your enjoying it tho.

Its not often i get to buy a new len's either, but im ment to be shooting a concert on the 10th January and id love to get the pentax for that. The weather sealing would be great (ppl do toss pints/water at gigs

) and the 50-135 range would probably be perfect for being in the pit and walking around stage (and its ment to be a killer portrait lens to). Plus the fact the other lens i would want would probably be in the 18-50 range to so would work well. (i guess ud go for a 18-70 to cover the focal length).

Atm tho.. i have an old vivitar series 1 70-210 f3.5 wich im guessing i might have to try get away with either that or use a 28 f2.8, 50 f1.7 and 135 f2.8 primes (but i dont fancy switching len's alot in that atmosphere as i could get a dirty sensor). Either way im looking forward to it

But if i do manage to get some cash up ill be looking very closely at the same 3 you did and factoring in everything.. Thats why i asked mainly

.

Btw if you think your cams heavy with that set up.. you should try mine with the sigma 530 dg super and the old vivtar on it (the vivtar is made in 1975 full metal body and 846g or so)

Usuqa · **Joined:** Mon Feb 25, 2008 1:51 pm **Posts:** 209

i just orderd a sigma 24-60mm f2.8 for $280 (including postage) from ebay, works out around £180 or so.
Will take a while to get here probably but it was going to cost like £280 for a similar one from the uk (the len's isnt made anymore so hard to find). The reason i went for that over the 24-70 is that its lighter, shorter and apparently has better bokeh

(wich i find important).

Theres also a new 24-70 with hsm coming out... i bet that will be better (its ment to be smaller) but still it will cost alot more lol

vroom_skies · **Joined:** Thu Mar 27, 2008 4:48 pm **Posts:** 358

Usuqa wrote:

Yer the sigma dose have its plus points to..
Its a true ring type focus?? (the d*a 50-135 isnt a ring type) so it should be pretty nippy.. im glad to here your enjoying it tho.

Its not often i get to buy a new len's either, but im ment to be shooting a concert on the 10th January and id love to get the pentax for that. The weather sealing would be great (ppl do toss pints/water at gigs

) and the 50-135 range would probably be perfect for being in the pit and walking around stage (and its ment to be a killer portrait lens to). Plus the fact the other lens i would want would probably be in the 18-50 range to so would work well. (i guess ud go for a 18-70 to cover the focal length).

Atm tho.. i have an old vivitar series 1 70-210 f3.5 wich im guessing i might have to try get away with either that or use a 28 f2.8, 50 f1.7 and 135 f2.8 primes (but i dont fancy switching len's alot in that atmosphere as i could get a dirty sensor). Either way im looking forward to it

But if i do manage to get some cash up ill be looking very closely at the same 3 you did and factoring in everything.. Thats why i asked mainly

.

Btw if you think your cams heavy with that set up.. you should try mine with the sigma 530 dg super and the old vivtar on it (the vivtar is made in 1975 full metal body and 846g or so)

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's a true ring type setup, however I'm not positive. Yeah, it's looking like a 18-70 would serve me the best for a next lens, but I think I'll be going the 10-20mm & 50mm route. Or at least that's what I have set in my head, but that is still a WAYS down the line lol.
I actually have three old M42 lens as well, and yes those things weight a ton, but are built like tanks.
I've got the:
- Vivitar 85-205mm 3.8
- SMC Takumar 135mm 3.5
- SMC Takumar 55mm 1.8
- Vivitar 28mm 2.5

I should use them more. I haven't really given the Viv 28 a fair test, so I think I'll do that some time soon.

Congrats on the new purchase, I hope it serves you well,
Bob

Usuqa · **Joined:** Mon Feb 25, 2008 1:51 pm **Posts:** 209

well i went for this as i might be shootin a concert in January and i shoot partys for my family.

So the 24-60 range will be quite good for both of them things (ill be in the pit at the concert anyway). The f2.8 on the lens will help with auto focus in low light.

I used a hoya m42 28mm f2.8 and the focal range seemed pretty good for partys

.

Usuqa · **Joined:** Mon Feb 25, 2008 1:51 pm **Posts:** 209

take care with ur new lens

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1036&thread=30535127

swapping smd/usm lens with power on has been killing things

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